Page 63 of Bound To Me

I put my jacket back on as I sat down. “I didn’t try to hurt Michael. He gaslighted me. He wanted people to think that I wasn’t fucking in my right mind so they wouldn’t believe me,” I said, my breath trembling as I fought back tears.

As they exchanged another glance, a simmering anger began to rise within me. It was becoming clear to me that they didn’t think I wasn’t telling the whole truth. Of course, a girl with plaid pants, combat boots and faded blue dye on the tips of her hair would fuel that doubt.

“We don’t doubt that, Miss Olsen,” Claire said, shaking her head, contradicting my inner thoughts. “Remember, we are on your side. We just need some background information in case the defense tries to use it against you.”

After gathering more information from me, they told me they would be in touch. But weeks went by and I didn’t hear anything. That is, until Claire called me one day as I sat alone at the bar, willing myself to drop dead.

“Miss Olsen, we’re afraid that our team has decided to drop you as a witness. There’s simply too much in your personal history that the defense could exploit.”

I hung up without saying a word. I couldn’t help put Michael in prison; instead, I had been an accessory to his harm against Hana.

No one would ever hear my side of the story. With that thought, I tossed back another drink and blacked out into a deep, hopeless hole.

Now

Elliott drove us west towards the beach after we left the restaurant. The silence filled the car, heavy and palpable.

“Kate was real then?” I blurted out, eager to resolve all my doubts about the life he had described to me.

He quickly glanced over at me as he gripped the wheel tightly.

“Yes. Very much so,” he answered with a frown.

I looked out the window, my mind racing with so many questions that I didn’t know where to start. When I turned back to him, his strong jawline momentarily distracted me.

“And you’re really a therapist?”

Elliott shot me a sad glance. “Yes, baby. Everything I told you was real,” he explained gently.

I sighed and nodded. I wanted so badly to believe him.

“But you’re also a private detective. On the side,” I continued.

He nodded. “After high school, I initially wanted to join the police academy for the job security it offered. However, my mom discouraged me—she disagreed with the system and was worried about the dangers I’d face. So, I followed her into her line of work. But as I got older, my desire to help people, in other ways, grew stronger. That’s when I decided to become a private investigator.”

God, he’s such a fucking saint.He quietly continued. “I never imagined hurting anyone. It never crossed my mind thatsomeone might use my services to harm others. I suppose I tend to see the good in people. Maybe that’s a bit naive of me, right?”

A lump formed in my throat as I took his hand. I knew he was telling the truth. I could see the evil in people, and Elliott didn’t have a single malicious bone in his body.

“I love that about you, Elliott. I really, really love you,” I said as I smiled, letting a tear fall down my cheek.

He looked over at me and squeezed my hand gently. “I love you, Jacqueline.”

* * *

We pulled up in front of a small but beautiful hotel only steps away from Santa Monica beach.

“I don’t want to be anywhere Michael might find us. I can’t risk putting you in more danger,” Elliott said as he opened his car door and hurried to open mine.

He took my hand and guided me to the hotel lobby. After renting a room, we entered through an outdoor gate that led to several buildings; the hotel resembled an old apartment building. The scent of the ocean and the cool breeze felt like a breath of fresh air as Elliott opened the door to room 33 for us. We stepped into a small room where I sank onto the king-sized bed that dominated the space.

“Keep asking if you’re doubting anything, baby,” Elliott said as he sat down next to me, eyeing me; I was sure he could tell that I was cautiously watching him. My guards were back up but I desperately wanted him to break them down again.

“You really had no idea about Michael when he hired you?” I asked quietly as I glanced up at him. The rugged stubble of his facial hair contrasted strikingly with his piercing, perfect blue eyes, creating the allure that drew me to him in the first place.

“No, Jacqueline. I swear on my life. I should have looked into him more before accepting the job but it seemed so harmless. I had no idea who he was or what he had done.”

The angry sting in my chest softened into a feeling that recognized the pain in his eyes—a pain of regret and sadness.

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